F1 race-fixing probe launched

The FIA is launching an investigation into allegations of race-fixing by Renault.

F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone has confirmed that the race under investigation is the 2008 Singapore GP, and the investigation is focusing on suggestions Nelson Piquet Jr was ordered to crash to bring out a safety car to help team-mate Fernando Alonso, who went on to win the race.

Piquet spun out on lap 14, bringing out the safety car. Once the safety car pulled off the circuit, most drivers pitted, allowing Alonso, who had pitted immediately prior to his team-mate's crash, to join the leading pack, despite starting the race in 15th position. He went on to win by three seconds from Nico Rosberg.

The source of the accusations is unknown, although unconfirmed reports suggest Piquet has provided evidence following his sacking by Renault last month.

Ecclestone conceeded this was a possibility, and added that drivers should take as much responsibility as the team if they were found to follow orders:

He said: ‘If I tell you to go and rob a bank and you get caught you can't say, “Well Bernie told me to.”’

If the FIA considers that the allegations are founded, it will call a meeting of the World Motor Sport Council, which in turn could impose fines, bans, or total exclusion from F1.

Presumably, teams have always encouraged their drivers to behave badly, in order to secure the most points for their lead driver. However, they haven't usually booted out the No.2 in the team mid-way through the next season, so the darker side of F1 has remained submerged. At least Schumacher was a bit more blatant, whether pushing Damon Hill off the track to secure the championship or parking in the middle of the circuit at Monaco.

[quote Broughster]whether pushing Damon Hill off the track to secure the championship[/quote]

From memory looking at a different camera angle it looks more that Hill came in too fast to make the corner, crashing in to Schumacher. But looking at it again on Youtube, Hill tried to go on the inside and that was a gap which was always going to close and even then he wan't more than half way along side Schumacher.

[quote Broughster]or parking in the middle of the circuit at Monaco.[/quote]

Can't explain that one.

But can I add that every overtake that Alonso does he puts the other driver off the circuit, forcing them to avoid the accident. He wasn't happy when Massa didn't budge as much as he'd like!

Alonso is dirty. He knew full well that he was cheating at McLaren, went directly to Max Mosley and then stitched up Ron Dennis. And he wasn't even the fastest driver that McLaren had either.

[quote Symanski]He knew full well that he was cheating at McLaren, went directly to Max Mosley and then stitched up Ron Dennis.[/quote]

Well, that's one interpretation. The other was that Fernando Alonso went to Ron Dennis with the incriminating e-mails, Ron Dennis asked Martin Whitmarsh what they should do and he advised that Ron Dennis should speak to Max Mosley which he did, and in doing so assured Max Mosley that there was nothing in it, "an empty threat". The FIA then received the e-mails from Bernie Ecclestone, first, which prompted them to request evidence from the drivers in exchange for protection against proceedings.

As I say, it's another interpretation. An interpretation that was, in part, Ron Dennis' testimony at the WMSC hearing, but there you go. Maybe we just can't trust Ron Dennis.

[quote The Colonel] The other was that Fernando Alonso went to Ron Dennis with the incriminating e-mails[/quote]

Alonso, during one of his lunches that he used to have with Max Mosley on race weekends, got immunity from any punishment set up first.

Before that he lied to everybody because he knew certain people in McLaren had access to Ferrari data. If you read the WMSC report there is written evidence that Alonso knew about the Ferrari inside man.

[quote The Colonel] Maybe we just can't trust Ron Dennis.[/quote]

I don't have any loyalty to Ron Dennis, but he's done so much for F1 through McLaren it's a terrible shame how badly the FIA / Mosley went after him.

[quote Symanski]If you read the WMSC report there is written evidence that Alonso knew about the Ferrari inside man.[/quote]

I have read it. It was contained in an e-mail from Pedro de la Rosa informing Fernando Alonso about the Ferrari's weight distribution, with the information coming from Nigel Stepney, the same person who informed McLaren that Raikkonen would be stopping on lap 18 in Austalia. One would imagine that it was one of the e-mails that Fernando Alonso presented to Ron Dennis. An e-mail that directly related to the case, that Ron Dennis referred to as part of "an empty threat" from Alonso. Beyond that, I'm not sure what your point is.

If you are saying "he was cheating all along", well yes, he was involved, along with Pedro de la Rosa. But do you really go with the notion that it was only they, Mike Coughlan and some wind tunnel tech knew what was going on?

Ron Dennis' contribution to F1 and motorsport (and catering) notwithstanding, he kept walking into bear traps that were, or should have been, avoidable for a man of his stature. Either he knew what was going on and chose to ignore it (or to collude), or he had no clue about it at all. Either way it was a pretty difficult postion to defend, yet he would keep on.

It's so hard to believe that a Team would tell a driver to deliberately crash. If you follow things through to a worst case scenerio and that driver died in the crash, those involved would be looking at manslaughter. With this also being on the back of "spygate" any team would know the consequences from the FiA would be very serious.

I really hope it is just Piquet being a silly little boy and nothing more than that, F1 does not need this again.

Either way this could be Renault out of F1 the negative publicity could be enough to convince the board that F1 is not for them anymore... Team Flav?

[quote kdwilcox]Alonso may well not be on your 'i think he's great list' but put him in a good car and he will beat any body you care to name.[/quote] He didn't beat some guy called Lewis something, a goddamn rookie. He was neck and neck (slightly behind IMO) when he was partnered with Trulli. Alonso is the most overrated driver on the grid.

Back to the story, well I was at that GP and I said to my mate it seemed fishier than a salmon sandwich with whipped salmon mousse. F1 cars are pretty damn safe these days. The whole scam is possible. But we need to see what sort of evidence there is.